PCSOs in the Metropolitan Police (2009)

Broadly speaking, these are the different kinds of role for London's PCSOs, all based on relating with the community and providing a reassuring visible presence:
• Safer Neighbourhoods role (focusing on crime and antisocial behaviour).

• Safer Transport role (dealing with crime and anti-social behaviour on buses).

• Station PCSO (carrying out initial investigation and recording of crime).

• Security role (public safety and security)

• Transport role (dealing with crime and anti-social behaviour on buses and in addition free flow of traffic)

• Parks (London's central parks)

  After the successful completion of the probationary period PCSOs are able to specialise in the following area:

• Victim PCSO

For more details on these roles please see the PCSO Guidance Notes.

PCSOs generally perform routine duties, assisting and supporting Police Officers, gathering intelligence, carrying out security patrols and, through their presence alone, reassuring the public. Where possible, they also attend to matters not requiring police powers.

Depending on which role you take, you could be trained and called upon to do any number of tasks, including:
• Providing support at ceremonial and special events

• Responding to major incidents and security alerts

• Making house-to-house enquiries

• Directing traffic, removing vehicles

• Issuing fixed penalty notices

30 March 2009

A PCS member from the Metropolitan Police has been commended for bravery. George McNaught, a community support officer in west London, wrestled a gun out of the hands of a suspect.

George McNaught (right) with police commissioner Paul Stephenson. (Photo: Colin Lee, Metropolitan Police.)

George was patrolling Victoria station when he stopped the suspect who was behaving suspiciously.